Improvement in burial-caskets



UNITED STATES HOSEA HENIKA AND MYRON F. OARDER, OF KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN BURlAL-C ASKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters] Patent No. 139,465, dated June 3, 1873; application filed April 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HOSEA HENIKA and MYRON F. CARDER, both of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented an Improved Burial-Casket, of which the following is a specili cation:

This invention consists in a casketprovided with atop or cover composed of two sections, preferablymade in a form approaching that of quarter cylinders or quarter e1- lipses, and pivoted to the ends of the lower part of the casket, so that when the case is closed the edges of the sections come closely together, forming the top; and, when it is desired to open the casket, one or both sections may be lowered until the upper edge is about on a level with the upper surface of the main part of the case, catches being employed to hold the section in place when elevated to close the coffin. This casket is designed, more especially, to be used when it is desired to permit a full-length view of the remains from one or both sides.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top view of a casket embodying our invention, one half of the cover being raised and the other lowered; and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same taken at a point near the center.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the two figures.

We will now proceed to describe the easket illustrated in the drawing as a form well adapted for the embodiment of our invention.

The lower portion of our casket is composed of a shallow oblong box, A, to receive the body, placed within an outer case, B, space being left between the bottoms, ends, and sides of the box and case to permit the freemovement of the upper sections. The sections 0 C, forming the upper part and cover of the casket, approach the form of quarter longitudinal sections of cylinders or ellipses. They are made with closed ends; and are pivoted, as shown, or in other suitable manner, in the spaces between the ends of the box and case A B.

When both the sections are lowered they are I wholly received in the space around the inger box, and only the upper edges are visi- To close the casket the sections are lifted to the position occupied by the section marked 0, and are there supported and secured by catches or other suitable means. We have shown pivoted catches a a so located as to be wholly or nearly concealed.

It may be sufficient or desirable, in some cases, to have the casket closed on one side until the burial, and this is readily accomplished, 'as illustrated in the drawing.

The meeting-edgesof the sections are made close fitting. They may be provided with packings, as rubber; or a tongue-and-groove joint can be made.

The sections have attached to them some means for facilitating the lifting and lower- Zng. We have shown simply leather straps The casket, and especially the upper portion, can be made of soft wood, veneered in mahogany, rose wood, or other ornamental. and finer wood; and, of course, the finishing and trimming may be, if desired, very elegant; while the rounded top will rather im prove the symmetrical. appearance when closed. When entirely open a full-lengthviewot' the body is presented from either side as well as the top, and this constitutes the principal ad: vantage of our improvement.

We are aware that it is not new to construct coffins with arotating lid or cover made of one piece, and we do not desire to claim it; but

Having thus described our invention,what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A casket, provided with a top or cover made in two sections,() 0, pivoted to the lower portion of the case, andadapted to be independently raised and lowered in combination with supporting-catches a a, as described.

To the above specification of our invention we have signed our names this 12th day of February, A. D. 1873.

Witnesses J. REIDSEMA, WM. WALKER. 

